WEBVTT I WILL SHOW YOU COMING UP.I WILL SHOW YOU COMING UP.BACK TO YOU.BACK TO YOU.ABBY: BREAKING RIGHT NOW, SOMEABBY: BREAKING RIGHT NOW, SOMEOKLAHOMA LAWMAKERS ARE PUBLICLYOKLAHOMA LAWMAKERS ARE PUBLICLYQUESTIONING A DECISION BY THEQUESTIONING A DECISION BY THEUNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMAUNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMAYOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS.YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS.A CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKER WASA CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKER WASDISINVITED FROM A LOCALDISINVITED FROM A LOCALUNIVERSITY.UNIVERSITY.KEN HAM IS A CREATIONIST AND THEKEN HAM IS A CREATIONIST AND THEFOUNDER OF ARK ADVENTURE THEMEFOUNDER OF ARK ADVENTURE THEMEPARK IN KENTUCKY.PARK IN KENTUCKY.HE WAS SET TO TALK SCIENCE AHE WAS SET TO TALK SCIENCE AUCO UNTIL THE STUDENT GOVERNMENTUCO UNTIL THE STUDENT GOVERNMENTCANCELED HIS INVITATIOCANCELED HIS INVITATIOLAWMAKERS WANT TO KNOW WHY HAMLAWMAKERS WANT TO KNOW WHY HAMIS BEING CENSORED AND NOTIS BEING CENSORED AND NOT

Some Oklahoma lawmakers are publicly questioning the decision to cancel a Christian speaker's event at the University of Central Oklahoma.Dr. Ken Ham, founder of Ark Encounter Theme Park in Kentucky, was set to talk science at UCO next month until the student government canceled his invitation.Student body president Stockton Duvall said he rescinded an invitation to Ham because of the pushback from student groups.The lawmakers said they expressed concern Friday about "a growing climate of such assaults on free speech and whether or not the Regents for Higher Education were properly accountable for the use of taxpayer dollars.""Bullying and intimidating people to squelch free speech are disgraceful anywhere, but even more so on our college campuses," said Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Oklahoma City."Higher education's censorship and bigotry against Christians shows an appalling lack of accountability on how Oklahoma's public colleges and universities spend our tax dollars. We fund education to teach and promote American values. Censorship is not an American value.""The overwhelmingly Christian and conservative people of Oklahoma should not be forced to pay more taxes to subsidize censorship and bigotry against Christians and conservatives at our state colleges," said Rep. Chuck Strohm, R-Jenks.UCO President Don Betz said Thursday in a statement on freedom of expression, "Our doors are open to any who wish to express their ideas so long as student and public safety is preserved. No one has the ability, nor has UCO ever attempted, to limit speech on our campus. All who wish to freely express their ideas in a peaceful and civil manner, including Mr. Ham, are welcome to do so."

EDMOND, Okla. —

Some Oklahoma lawmakers are publicly questioning the decision to cancel a Christian speaker's event at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Dr. Ken Ham, founder of Ark Encounter Theme Park in Kentucky, was set to talk science at UCO next month until the student government canceled his invitation.

Student body president Stockton Duvall said he rescinded an invitation to Ham because of the pushback from student groups.

The lawmakers said they expressed concern Friday about "a growing climate of such assaults on free speech and whether or not the Regents for Higher Education were properly accountable for the use of taxpayer dollars."

"Bullying and intimidating people to squelch free speech are disgraceful anywhere, but even more so on our college campuses," said Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Oklahoma City.

"Higher education's censorship and bigotry against Christians shows an appalling lack of accountability on how Oklahoma's public colleges and universities spend our tax dollars. We fund education to teach and promote American values. Censorship is not an American value."

"The overwhelmingly Christian and conservative people of Oklahoma should not be forced to pay more taxes to subsidize censorship and bigotry against Christians and conservatives at our state colleges," said Rep. Chuck Strohm, R-Jenks.

UCO President Don Betz said Thursday in a statement on freedom of expression, "Our doors are open to any who wish to express their ideas so long as student and public safety is preserved. No one has the ability, nor has UCO ever attempted, to limit speech on our campus. All who wish to freely express their ideas in a peaceful and civil manner, including Mr. Ham, are welcome to do so."